Everyone dies a teacher, and that’s a WIN for humanity

Teachers are people who teach. Duh! Let’s not limit the definition to teachers as a profession. Let’s not even limit the idea of teachers as a concept.

Let’s look at teachers as a stage of life we all are destined to enter.

As we navigate the maze of expertise, we discover the superhero role we play as teachers, leaving our mark everywhere we go. From school classrooms to corporate boardrooms, we sprinkle our magic on curious minds and eager souls.
- A proud teacher motivating a new teacher

Let’s acknowledge the superpower of teaching — the brain-to-brain transfer of information using tech and voice, to carry forward a new positive influence into the future.

Teaching is innate, not just a profession

Have you observed that teaching seems to be woven into the very fabric of our existence? Well, it’s like the human brain comes with a built-in “Teacher Mode” — a predestined role that has been with us since the age of confused apes.

Our brains are incredible learning machines. From the moment we are born, they soak up information like a sponge, constantly processing and storing knowledge. As we grow, our brains crave more than just learning; they seek to share that wisdom with others. It’s like a natural urge to pass on the torch of knowledge, and that’s where teaching comes in.

Think about it — when you learn something fascinating, don’t you just itch to share it with someone else? Don’t you wish to apply it somewhere? Whether it’s the intricate tango of stars or a mind-boggling mathematical concept, the joy of telling others is like an electric current running through us.

And, if someone is in need of what you know, and you can afford to give it — what do you usually do? Give it, right?

That eye for giving what you have…

A part of that comes from empathy — The ability to imagine others’ needs and feelings as if we share them. Our brains are wired to connect with others, to understand their struggles, and to celebrate their victories. Teaching taps into this empathetic superpower, allowing us to tailor our approach, break down complex ideas, and guide others gently toward understanding.

You might wonder if this is too much of a selfless act, but it really isn’t. It’s not charity. Oh no. It is far from the sacrificial job that we’ve wrongly burdened many teachers with. And unfortunately failed to compensate them fairly for their work. It’s a pay-it-forward approach for the collective benefit of the world. It’s not a zero-sum game. The loss of a teacher is everyone’s loss. No one gains when a teacher loses.

The narrative should change — change to acknowledging them and, by extension, ourselves. Because we all will be teachers, if not already.

When we become experts in our fields, the call to teach becomes even more potent. Sharing our hard-earned knowledge isn’t just an option; it feels like destiny. Most of us embrace this role and witness the transformative power of teaching — as students become mentors, those mentors build students.

Think: What exactly is collaboration? It’s people teaching others or doing their job for them. But, at least some are teaching.

When empathy meets knowledge, we get a teacher.

I miss being a teacher… meeting them everyday, being accepted into their trust circle, having the honour of them listening to what you say. That’s something else.
— Neha Deshpande
(Taught Science, English, Drama, and more in an inclusive school for 4 years, also climbed mountains for a year to teach another school)

The teacher mode

Everyone not under the professional banner of a “teacher” still uses their “teacher mode” in some capacity.

1. The Expert Mentor — building a new world: Experienced mentors go on video, write articles, give free advice, and guide relatives. They subconsciously imbue their teachings with their unique perspectives and values. Experts learn and propagate their knowledge, and then the world changes. Tech changes, human society changes. Then, the teachers become students of the new world, but their past “teacher mode” makes them new teachers again. They co-evolve with new learners, but they retain their role as a teacher.
2. Parenting — A journey in teaching life: When parents raise children, they teach children what they have learned. Because the alternative is to explore something new they haven’t. Humans tend to default to using familiar methods. Thinking about all other possibilities is too much work if no one has taught them a new way. Instead, parents try to upgrade what they have learned and teach that to their children. So, parents emulate what they have learned from their parents and grandparents. Each generation, a small change takes place, creating a new product for the world — the new generation.
3. Grandparenting — them stories and advice FTW: Psychological studies indicate that the wisdom of older individuals is rooted in “crystallized intelligence.” Their accumulated knowledge is the crystallization of life’s variety of experiences, ripe for sharing. As grandparents, they gain the vantage point of retrospection, becoming storytellers, and persuading the young with tales of resilience, silly mistakes, and grit. The intergenerational bond they foster nurtures a sense of belonging, creating a partnership between knowledge seekers and knowledge givers. And, of course — the teaching gets easier for them because children often rebel against their parents who try to discipline them, so in contrast, they bond with their grandparents, who typically pamper them.
4. Authorities — making decisions for us: The human psyche instinctively seeks “authoritative figures” during moments of uncertainty. When we don’t know what to do, we guess, or we listen to others. As a collective, we depend on authority figures — who are willing to teach — to make decisions for us, because their knowledge is the vehicle that becomes our beacon of hope and guidance. Look at the pandemic. Look at the wars. When we don’t know, we need others to tell us. The trust vested in them by us amplifies their responsibility to impart knowledge that fosters growth. If the authorities don’t become teachers on their own, the learners bestow upon them the role of a teacher.
5. Niche Experts — sources of tacit knowledge: “Expert mentors” are mandatory in facilitating the “transfer of tacit knowledge.” Their accumulated wisdom assumes niche importance. They may speak a million words or exactly 1, but a million others are around to find some value in at least 1 word. Tacit knowledge — informal contextual knowledge — doesn’t have an isolated delivery mechanism like conversational AI or pre-recorded videos. ChatGPT and articles on the internet can teach us how to boil water. But who will teach you the story of boiling water once a day in a village so everyone gets at least some warm water when there is no electricity? It transfers only through a real-time 2-way interaction of teachers and learners. And if tacit knowledge survives and updates itself, which it has, it means the teachers have done their job with a big WIN for us.

Every life journey, every chapter, has gifted people the privilege of being teachers. Their existence finds meaning in guiding others, imparting knowledge, and molding future torchbearers.

Through screens or voice, across time and space, teachers reach the end of life, and hear the death knell — you are dying a teacher, and you served humanity well.

This is a happy ending.

The universe thanks you.

Next move: Rebirth of the new teacher.

By Myelin — celebrating teacher-centricity.